Motion-picture film reel



July 19, 1949. J. A. THOMAS 2,4759923 MOTION-PICTURE FILM REEL Filed Oct. 11, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR JOSEPH A. THOMAS ATTORNEYS July 19, 1949, TH M S 2,476,928

MOTION-PICTURE FILM REEL Filed Oct. 11, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. JOSEPH A. THOMAS ATTORNEYS Patented July 19, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MOTION-PICTURE FILM REEL Joseph A. Thomas, Los Angeles, Calif. Application October -11, 1945', Serial No. 621529 3 Claims. (01. 242570) This invention relates to equipment for use in processing motion picture film, and particularly pertains to an improved film reela It is the principal object of my present invention to provide-a generally improved motion pic ture film reel which is provided with a removable side reel disk which may be securely latched in position relative to the remainder of the reel. but which is capable of being easily u'nlatched and removed therefrom.

One form which the invention may assume is exemplified in the following description and illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which: I

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a film reel constructed in accordance with my present invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the latch band which forins a part of the apparatus. I

Fig. 3 is an exploded view in perspective illlis traing the various parts of the reel.

Fig 4 is a transverse section through the reel taken on line 4'--4 of 5.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal View taken centrally through the reel.

Referring more particularly to the accompanying drawings, It indicates a reel for use in com nection with motion picture film. Reels of this character have various uses; one of which is to assist in transferring a roll of film from what is known as a laboratory core to a secondary reel during the processing of the film. I I

It should be pointed out that when the film is received from the laboratory, it is wound upon a laboratory core and in a container. The roll of film with its laboratory core is removed from the container and ordinarily placed upon a transfer spindle and transferred to a reel. some of the operations are carried on in the dark room and others in the processing room, during which times extreme care must be taken that the original him is not damaged. I I I I The resent reel is particularly useful and on portant in that it enables the film wound upon a laboratory core to be laced in a re l where it will have guiding reel disks at op osite sides to insure protection of the film during the unwinding thereof from the laboratory core.

The present device comprises a cylindrical trunnion I l formed at one end with a circumscribing fiat flange l2. At the inner face of this flange is fixed a reel disk M of appropriate diameter. I prefer that this reel dish be of such transparent material as Lucite, although other materials may be used. The reel disk I4 is concen tri'cally disposed relative to the trunnion ll and is fastened to the flange l2 by screws [5- or other suitable fastening elements.

A second and similar reel disk 46 is provided which is, of course, complementary to the other reel disk and is likewis forhi'ed of Lucite or other suitable material. The second ft is fastened by screws I! or the like to a circular flange l8 formed as a fixed part of a bearing member I9. For example, the flange I8 may be integral with or threaded on to the bearing memoer l9 as indicated at [9. This bearing member I9 is concentrically bored as at 20 so as to be coinplemental to the trunnion H, over which it slidably fits.

The-diameter oi the trunnio'n H is such that it will be received in the bore 2| of a standard laboratory core 22 so that the latter may be httea, over the trunnion with one end abutting the inner surface of thereel disk M. T e axial dimension of the Core 22 corresponds With the transverse dimension of the fllni to be wound thereon. I

It is intended that the other disk it be located in juxtaposition to the other end of the core 22, as illustrated more clearly in Fig. 5 or the draw: ings. In this position the outer end of the bean ing member is is flush with the adjacent one of the trunnion l l, as illustrated in Fig. 5.

For the purpose of preventing relative rota tion between the laboratory core 22 and the hear ing member l9 and its flange l8 relative to the trunnion H and its disk M, the trunnion ll fitted with a longitudinal key 23 which is firnily fixed thereto and projects radially therefrom. This key extends the full length of the tilIhIfiOfi II as shown.- This key is complementary to a longitudinal liey'way 24 in the laboratory core and to a KeyWa-y 25 in the bearing member is. Therefore; when the laboratory core 22 and the bearing is with its disk I6 is slip ed on to the trunnion ll, all of those elements are relatively non-rotatable.

should be pointed out that the tr'uhfi iofl H' is formed with an axial bore 26 formed with a keyway 21 so that the trunnion may be SIiDP d on and become non-rotatable relative to an oralnary transfer spindle, such as commonly used if! laboratories and similar places handling and processing film; I

I intend that the reel disk It and its bearing member I 9 be detachably connected with trunnion H,- when it is properly positioned there.- on, so that it will be latched in a precise position axially of the trunnion at a fixed point relativ to the other reel disk I4; TO a complish this, I provide a circular latch band as ciro'umserioin the exterior periphery or the bearing member l9 and rotatably ounted thereon. The hearing Ill" is formed with a circular keyway 29 formed iiiwardly of its outer surface intermediate the sense [6 and the outer end of the bearing. bottom surface or this circular key ay 29 is of a diameter somewhat greater than the bore 20 of the bearing I9, I I I I Formed as anxed part of the latch band is a circular latch key at which rojects radially inward into the circular keyw'ay '29 and is some plemental thereto. The circular key 30 is formed with a recess 30d extending completely transthe bearing I9 so that by rotating the latch band 28 on the bearing I9, the circular key 30 may be projected through the longitudinal keyway 25,-

or the recess 30a in the l circular key 30 may be registered with the keyway 25 to allow the free passage of the key 23 on the trunnion II therethrough.

' The key 23 is formed with a transverse groove 3| which registers with the circular key 30, when the bearingIS and the disk I6 are in proper axial position on thetrunnion II with respect to the other disk I4. This transverse groove 3| in the key 23 is of a shape and dimension to receive the circular key 30 so 'as to form an interlocking connection between the bearing I9 and the trunnion II, and prevent endwise movement between the bearing I9, the disk I6 and .the trunnion II and its disk I4. However, by turning the latch band 28 so that the recess 39a in the circular key registers with the keyway 25 and the key 23, the bearing I9 and its disk I6 may be moved endwise of the trunnion II and disengaged therefrom.

,In operation of the device, assuming that itis desired to unreel a roll of film from a laboratory core in the dark room, it is only necessary to rotate the latch band 28 of the reel II] until the recess 30a of the circular key 30 registers with the keyway 25 and. the key 23. The reel disk I6 and it's bearing I9 and flange I8 may then be removed from the trunnion II. The laboratory core 22 with the film wound thereon may then be fitted onto the trunnion I I until one edge of the laboratory core 22 engages the surface of the reel disk I4. Then the disk I6 and its bearing I9 and flange IB may be fitted on to the exposed orpro- 1 jecting end of the trunnion I I until the inner surface of the reel disk I6 engages the opposite end of the laboratory core 22. The latch band 28 may then be rotated so as to project the circular key 30 through the transverse slot 3I in the key 23 of the trunnion II, which latches the two reel disks I4 and I6 in their relative axial positions. The key. 23, of course, prevents relative rotation between the various parts. The trunnion I I may then be mounted on a transfer spindle and the normal and usual unwinding or rewinding action may be performed. r

' lhave shown the latch band 28 with an indexing mark 32 on its face, which is located at the center of the recess 30a, of the circular key 30 so'that by registering the indexing mark 32, with the keyway 25, the user will know that the recess 30a of the circular key 30 is in register with the keyway 25 forthe purpose of either applying the disk I6 to the trunnion or removing it therefrom. V

As illustrated in Fig. 3, I have shown calibrations (phone of the disks I4 and I6 by means of which the footage of film disposed in the reel may be determined. Inasmuch as the reel disks I4 and I6 are transparent,, the outer diameter .of the unwound film' may be compared with these calibrations and the footage of film remaining in the reel may be determined.

- From the foregoing it is obvious that I have provided a very simple but highly effective and useful reel for use in connection with processing motion picture film, and while I have shown the preferrd'forn'i of my invention, 'it'iis to be understood that various changes may be made in its construction by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim and desired to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A motion picture film reel comprising a reel disk, a trunnion fixed thereto and projecting coaxially therefrom, means on'said trunnion for removal but non-rotatably receiving a laboratory filmjcore, a bearing removably but non-rotatably fitting the trunnion, a'second reel disk complementary to the first, and concentrically fixed to said bearing, and operable latch means to latch with respect thereto. 7

the bearing on the trunnion against axial movement thereon, said.latch means including an elementcoaxial, of'said bearing and rotatable 2. A film reel comprising a reel disk, a trunnion fixed thereto and projecting. axially therefrom, a key extending longitudinally of the trunnion and projecting radially therefrom, a bearing having a bore slidably fitting the trunnion and a keyway to receive said key, a circumscribing key-way formed in thebearing, a latch member rotatably mounted on the bearing, a circumferential key carried by the latch member fitting said circumscribing keyway, the diameter of the circumferential key and circumscribing keyway being such that the longitudinal key on the trunnion will intersect the same, said longitudinal key having a groove formed transversely thereof toregister with thecircumscribing keyway when said bearing is correctly mounted on said spindle,

said circumferential key having a recess therein through which the longitudinal key may project when said recess is in register therewith whereby the bearing may be mounted on the trunnion when said recess is in register with said longitudinal key and; the bearing latched to the trunnion by rotating the latch member to engage the circumferential key with said groove.

3. 'A film reel comprising a reel disk, a trunnion fixed thereto and. projecting axially therea second reel disk complementary to the first and from, a key on said .trunnion extending longitudinallythereof from 7 said disk, a bearing mounted upon the periphery of said'trunnion and havinga keywayv adapted to receive said key,

fixed to said bearing, andcomplementary latch means on the bearing and trunnion operative to releasably-latch the bearing. in a fixed axial position on the trunnion, said latchmeans including an element coaxial with said bearing and rotatably mounted thereon. r

v N 7 REFERENCES CITED Y The following references are of record in the file V of this patent N UNITED STATES PATENTS Number;

. Name 7 Date.

681,932 Skirrow Sept. 3, 1901 1,175,995 Ronchetti Mar.,21, 1916- 1-,503,89 6 I-Iarris: 'Aug. 5, 1924 1,555,751 ONeill' Sept. 29, 1925 1,612,988 Schu1tz Jan. 4,1927 1,933,659 Y Curran Nov. 7, 1933 2,146,835 er mg nn; Feb.-14, 1939- 2,14'7,'776 Mitchell Feb. 21, 1939 2,312,899 I -Iarnburger Mar. 2,1943

JOSEPH A. THOMAS 

